We asked Ashley our Spanish tutor to give us some advice about studying a foreign language. Ashley has a M.A. in education and taught Spanish for several years at a local high school.

1. Pay attention in school and complete all homework assignments. Homework reinforces what you learned that day in class and helps to solidify the concept. When reviewing homework in class, always be sure to correct your mistakes so you can use the assignment as a study tool later (block out the correct answers and see if you can complete the assignment again).

2. Immerse yourself in the language. Speak in the target language as frequently as possible. If you have a friend or family member who is fluent, converse with him or her.

3. When it comes time for the test, see your teacher with any questions you may have. Be sure you have all class notes, previous quizzes and tests, and homework assignments so that you can use them as study guides. Use outside resources such as Colby.edu, conjuguemos.com and quia.com for extra practice with both grammar and vocabulary.

4. Learn your vocabulary words! Foreign languages are cumulative meaning that each chapter builds upon the next. You must keep up with the vocabulary in order to best learn the language. When memorizing vocabulary, make flashcards. Draw a simple picture on each card – doing so will help you remember the word’s meaning.

5. Practice, practice, practice. Note the repetition; writing, speaking, and listening to the target language will help you best retain the information.

Junior year of high school can be one of the busiest and most stressful years in the lead-up to college. This is the year when most students take their college entrance exams -- either the SAT, the ACT, or both. Deciding which test to prepare for is an important decision that requires some forethought. It is helpful to check the admissions requirements of schools your child will be applying to in advance, but there are other factors to weigh in making this decision as well. How do the SAT and ACT differ? Which test is the right one for your child?

It was not that long ago that students looking to get into college pushed themselves to be involved with everything from the school paper to the hand bell choir. The popular idea at the time was something like this: The more crowded the schedule, the more appealing the applicant.

No longer.

Today everyone from deans of admissions and college counselors and consultants to parents and pediatricians are challenging the idea that getting into college is a matter of scheduling a child to his or her ears and are offering an alternative: A path as unique and different as each child herself that emphasizes less pushing, more passion.

It's finally test day, and you're feeling great. You got a full night's sleep last night, you had Wheaties for breakfast this morning, and you've just written a killer essay on the assigned topic that would bring your English teacher to tears. You are just a few short sections away from your ideal test score, and you can already taste victory.

And then it hits you.

"Fetid." The word looks familiar. You know you've seen it before. Maybe you even used once it in a paper for school. But in this pressure-filled situation, the precise definition escapes you. You scan the other questions, and many of their answer choices are also loaded with vocabulary words you just can't quite remember. "Prodigal." "Serene." "Trepidation." Why didn't I study harder? you ask yourself.

What high school senior would not like to know where she is going to college well before her peers do?

Both Early Decision and Early Action--admissions policies that allow students to apply months before regular admissions deadlines--can be good options for well-prepared high school seniors who know what they want in a college. These early options offer students the opportunity to get a jump on the college admissions process.

Your 7-year-old son is hanging from the chandeliers, unable to sit still in school, and distracting other kids with his clowning around. His teacher, although no mental health professional, has diagnosed him with ADHD and wants you to seek medication to make everyone's lives easier. What's a parent to do?

When you think of teenagers, a lot of words might come to mind--moody, rebellious, self-involved, impulsive, irrational.... We used to think all these traits were the result of teens' "raging hormones." We used to think that most brain development was done by the time kids hit adolescence. New research tells us that there's a lot more to it than that